Chapter 7 - Visiting George

Hermione and Draco stepped into Weaselys' Wizard Wheezes and were immediately greeted by the sight of an ear-less Weasely, "Hey Hermione!", he then say Draco, "Hermione.. why is Malfoy here?"

Hermione sighed then began to explain what had happened from the night before Hogwarts began to earlier in the Three Broomsticks. "And Ron then yelled at us as we rushed down the street that it wasn't the last we would hear from him", Hermione finished.

George nodded understandingly and looked then at Draco, "Malfoy, you know if I find out that you're using Hermione to crush her as soon as she finally gets over my jerk of a brother I'll personally enlist every person in the Weasley clan, not including Ron, and kill you right?"

Draco nodded, "I understand, Pot- erm, Harry, told me something similar. Except he threatened to kill me by himself, the muggle way.", he rolled his eyes, "Besides I wouldn't do that to her, we're friends now and I've really never had much real friends, only Blaise."

George looked at Draco oddly, then asked, "Can we talk about this more privately, Malfoy? Hermione can you stay out here? I want to talk to him out back." Hermione nodded and George motioned Draco to follow and headed to the back room.

Once they reached the back room George cast a silent "Muffilo" and turned to Draco, "Ok, now no one can here us", George said, "Now why do you really want to help our little Hermione?"

Draco sighed and asked truthfully, "I.. I think I might be in love with her."

George raised a brow, he has definitely not expected that, "Well, when you manage to win her over, don't hurt her like my brother. I love Hermione like a sister, one that doesn't bat-boogie hex me when I try to threaten her boyfriends."

Draco looked up, surprised, "That's it? No hexing me? You're just going to let me off with a warning?"

George grinned, "I know you enough, Malfoy, to know you wouldn't like about loving Hermione without a look of disgust on your face, due to her blood status. You've also never cheated on any girl you've been with, you were a man-whore, but one with values. I trust you with Hermione, ever so slightly. The war opened my eyes to not judge people or hold grudges, though I will always hate the man who kill my brother, my twin, my best friend, my-partner-in-crime.", his eyes clouded over with grief as he spoke of Fred. He shook his head as if to chase away memories. "Well, we should get back before Hermione thinks I murdered you.", he finally stated, leading the way back.

Draco followed shortly after, hesitating for only a moment and there was one thought on his mind. That was the oddest conversation he had ever had.

He and George reached the front of the store and Draco saw Hermione playing with a Pygmy puff and smiled. Her quickly snuck behind her and asked in a whisper, "Do you want me to buy that for you?"

Hermione jumped and swung around, startled. Draco gave her a smirk and she began to laugh, Draco could never get enough of her laugh, it was a beautiful as she was. Hermione shook her head after she got her giggles under control, "No, Crookshanks is enough work for me. I could take care of him and one of these things. Thank you, though."

"Ah, ok", Draco stated holding out his arm, "Shall we go to Honeydukes' and get you some sugar quills then?"

Hermione giggled again, then took his offered arm, "We shall.", she stated in a serious voice, though her grin broke the effect. Gone from her mind was her encounter with Ron earlier.

As they left George watched them, he had heard their joking around and noticed their seemingly easy relationship. They were perfect together, a blind man could see it, the only ones who couldn't were probably them. "I wish you could see them with me, Fred.", George muttered under his breath before turning to help a student who was looking at some extensible ears.